Cancer Misdiagnosis

Early Diagnosis - The Key to Successful Treatment of Cancer

The failure to properly diagnose a sickness is a common form of medical malpractice. A misdiagnosis typically occurs when the doctor associates the patient's symptoms with another disease. In some cases, however, the misdiagnosis occurs because the doctor failed to take the proper steps to adequately evaluate their patient's symptoms. In such instances, the doctor may have acted negligently and could be found liable. Patients may be able to file a medical malpractice lawsuit against their doctor to recoup compensation for damages caused by the misdiagnosis. While misdiagnoses don't always prove fatal, they can cause patients to face significant financial strain due to costly medical bills and lost wages due to time missed at work. In the case of a cancer misdiagnosis, however, the consequences can be devastating.

A cancer misdiagnosis can have devastating effects on patients and their families. While cancer can be treatable if caught early, a misdiagnosis can result in the disease spreading and reduce the chances of recovery. In addition to the obvious physical hardships a cancer misdiagnosis causes, the financial strain placed upon patients and their families can be enormous. A cancer misdiagnosis can cause patients to undergo numerous surgical procedures, radiation treatment, and chemotherapy. The costs of these treatments can be enormous, financially handicapping the patient's family. At Queller, Fisher, Washor, Fuchs & Kool, we understand the physical and emotional pain placed on patients who have had their cancer misdiagnosed. As a result, we are committed doing everything in our power to make their road to recovery easier by pursuing maximum compensation for the unnecessary damages they may have suffered.

The attorneys at Queller, Fisher, Washor, Fuchs & Kool are giving free consultations to patients who have had their cancer misdiagnosed. To see if you may be able to recover compensation in a lawsuit, call 212.406.1700 or contact us online.

Why do Cancer Misdiagnoses Occur?

Cancer can be misdiagnosed for a number of reasons. For instance, the symptoms associated with certain cancers can be similar to those of other ailments. It is important for patients to note, however, that a doctor's misdiagnosis does not necessarily present grounds for a lawsuit. In order to have a valid medical malpractice lawsuit, the patient must be able to prove that the doctor who misdiagnosed their illness acted negligently. For a doctor to have acted negligently, they must have failed to take the steps that another competent medical professional in the same field would have taken when making a diagnosis.

Patients may have grounds for a medical malpractice lawsuit if their cancer was misdiagnosed due to any of the following:

The doctor ordered the wrong tests

The test results were misread

The doctor failed to order the appropriate tests based on the symptoms the patient was experiencing

Failure to follow-up

A tumor was misdiagnosed as benign

Although any type of cancer can be misdiagnosed, the more common examples of misdiagnosis occur in cases of:

When cancer causes a patient's death, their family may have grounds to file a wrongful death lawsuit if the cancer was misdiagnosed. While the loss of a loved one can cause immense emotional pain, it can also put their surviving family in a serious financial bind. As a result, a wrongful death lawsuit can provide families of deceased patients with compensation for loss of income, medical bills incurred before death, and funeral costs. Furthermore, the deceased individual's family can recover compensation for a number of non-economic damages, such as pain and suffering the victim endured before death, loss of consortium, and loss of parental guidance. At Queller, Fisher, Washor, Fuchs & Kool our wrongful death lawyers have the knowledge and experience to help alleviate the financial burden placed upon the families of deceased patients. Our attorneys have been defending the rights of victim's families for over 50 years. Our knowledge and resources has led to numerous multi-million dollar settlements.

Has cancer killed someone you loved? Was their cancer initially misdiagnosed by a medical professional? If so, you may be able to file a wrongful death lawsuit against the doctor responsible for the misdiagnosis. For a free review of your legal options, fill out our case review form or call 212.406.1700.